English Chess Federation

Challenge Match: York & District C. A. v Hull & District C. A.

Saturday 23rd September 2006

2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

York Railway Institute

By D G Mills

A week before the start of the Yorkshire Chess Association season York and District Chess Association and Hull and District Chess Association met in the annual challenge match for the Stalmans-Hardcastle Shield. The venue – York Railway Institute – is situated near the station and although it has a large car park, most of the away team drivers left their cars elsewhere as it is expensive and usually full by early afternoon on a Saturday. My own attempt to avoid the city centre traffic by parking to the west of York, in the area called ‘The Mount’, was frustrated by a caravan exhibition on the race course. Fortunately the fixture started only a few minutes late.

Assembling the Hull and District Chess Association team was time consuming and stressful. Several players agreed to participate and withdrew at short notice. Neville Pearce – the York and District Chess Association match captain – and I finally settled upon a 14 board contest only for my team to be reduced to 13 players on the morning of the match. Our opponents graciously provided a guest on board 14. End of problems? Unfortunately not! My top board failed to arrive. I gather that he forgot about the fixture and went to play elsewhere.

This set the tone with Hull and District behind throughout the match and never looking like recovering from the self inflicted handicap. Some solid performances plus a win for our guest kept the margin of defeat within respectable bounds yet left me with a feeling of frustration and annoyance. This was amplified by the attitude of several players who were reluctant to hand over carbon copies of their games because they were ‘not very interesting’! York and District Chess Association have won the last four such challenge matches to lead the series 5 – 3 with 1 draw.

Time control 42 moves in 1¾ hours plus 15 minutes.

Board 2. White : J. Thackray. Black : J. Griffith. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Qd2 0-0 8. f3 d5 9. 0-0-0 dxe4 10. fxe4 Ng4 11. Nxc6 Qxd2+ 12. Bxd2 bxc6 13. Re1 Ne5 14. Be2 Be6 15. b3 Rfd8 16. Na4 Bg4 17. Bxg4 Nxg4 18. h3 Ne5 19. Bc3 Kf8 20. Rd1 Ke8 21. Kb2 Rab8 22. Ka1 Bf6 23. g4 h6 24. a3 Rxd1+ 25. Rxd1 Rd8 26. Rxd8+ Kxd8 27. Bxe5 Bxe5+ 28. c3 Kd7 29. Kb2 Ke6 30. Nc5+ Kf6 31. Nd7+ ½ – ½ .

Board 3. White : T. Turner. Black : A. D. Bettley. Petrov Defence.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. c4 c6 7. Bd3 Bb4+ 8. Nbd2 Nxd2 9. Bxd2 Qe7+ 10. Qe2 Bxd2+ 11. Kxd2 Qxe2+ 12. Bxe2 Be6 13. c5 Nd7 14. b4 0-0 15. a4 Rfe8 16. Bd3 Bg4 17. Ne1 Nf6 18. f3 Bd7 19. Nc2 Re7 20. Rhe1 Rxe1 21. Rxe1 Kf8 22. b5 Ne8 23. Rb1 Rc8 24. bxc6 bxc6 25. Rb7 Rc7 26. Ba6 Ke7 27. Nb4 Kd8 28. Rb8+ Ke7 29. Bb7 1 – 0.

Board 4. White : A. Wright. Black : P. Gower. Vienna Gambit.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. d4 Nc6 8. Rb1 Be7 9. Bd3 Qc7 10. 0-0 Bg4 11. Be3 f6 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. Qe1 0-0-0 14. dxc5 Rhe8 15. Qf2 Bxc3 16. Rb3 Bf6 17. Rfb1 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Rxe3 19. Bf5+ Kb8 20. Rxe3 Nd4 21. Qg4 Nxf5 22. Qxf5 Bd4 23. Rbe1 Qxc5 24. Qd3 Re8 25. Kf2 Bxe3+ 26. Rxe3 Rxe3 27. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 28. Kxe3 Kc7 29. Kd4 Kd6 30. a3 b6 31. a4 a6 32. c3 Kc6 33. g3 Kd6 34. h3 Ke6 35. g4 g5 36. Kd3 Ke5 37. Ke3 h6 38. Kd3 b5 39. axb5 axb5 40. Ke3 d4+ 41. cxd4+ Kd5 42. Kd3 b4 43. Ke3 b3 44. Kd3 b2 45. Kc2 Kxd4 46. Kxb2 Ke3 47. Kc2 Kf3 48. Kd3 Kg3 49. Ke3 Kxh3 50. Kf3 Kh4 0 – 1.

Board 5. White : J. M. Carpenter. Black : D. G. Mills. French Defence.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ne4 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Nxe4 dxe4 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Ne2 b6 10. Nc3 Bb7 11. 0-0-0 Nd7 12. Qe3 f5 13. exf6 Nxf6 14. Be2 Nd5 15. Nxd5 exd5 16. f4 c5 17. g4 Rac8 18. g5 cxd4 19. Rxd4 Qc7 20. c3 Qxf4 21. Kd2 Qe5 22. h4 Kh8 23. Ra4 Rfd8 24. Rd4 ½ – ½.

Board 6. White : M. S. Bettley. Black : R. Allis. Philidor.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4. d3 Nf6 5. h3 Bh5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. g4 Bg6 8. Be3 Be7 9. Qd2 h5 10. g5 Nh7 11. h4 Qd7 12. 0-0-0 Nf8 13. Bb5 a6 14. Ba4 Kd8 15. Nd5 b5 16. Bb3 Ne6 17. Kb1 Rb8 18. Rc1 a5 19. c4 bxc4 20. Rxc4 Nc5 21. Bxc5 dxc5 22. Nxe7 Qxe7 23. Rhc1 Qd6 24. Rxc5 Nb4 25. Rxa5 Qxd3+ 26. Qxd3 Nxd3 27. Rd1 Kc8 28. Nxe5 Nxf2 29. Nxg6 fxg6 30. Be6+ Kb7 31. Rdd5 c6 32. Rd7+ Kb6 33. Ra4 Rhe8 34. Bf7 Kb5 35. b3 Nxe4 36. Bxe8 Nc3+ 37. Kc2 Nxa4 38. bxa4+ Kxa4 39. Rxg7 Rxe8 40. Rxg6 Re2+ 41. Kd3 Rh2 42. Re6 Rh3+ 43. Re3 Rxh4 44. Re4+ Rxe4 45. Kxe4 h4 46. Kf3 Ka3 47. g6 Kxa2 48. g7 c5 49. g8/Q+ Ka3 50. Qc4 1 – 0.

Board 7. White : E. Winn. Black : A. Grice. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 0-0 8. f4 Qb6 9. Nxc6 Qxe3 10. Nxe7+ Kh8 11. Qd3 Qxf4 12. g3 Qg5 13. Nxc8 Raxc8 14. 0-0 Rfe8 15. Bf3 Kg8 16. Rf2 Ng4 17. Bxg4 Qxg4 18. Rf4 Qe6 19. Raf1 Qb6+ 20. Kg2 Qxb2 21. Nd5 Rxc2+ 22. R1f2 Rxf2+ 23. Rxf2 Qe5 24. Rc2 Kf8 25. Rc7 Qxe4+ 26. Qxe4 Rxe4 27. Rxd7 Re5 28. Rd8+ Re8 29. Rd7 Be5 30. Rxb7 Bd4 31. Kf3 Re5 32. Nb4 Rf5+ 33. Kg2 Rf2+ 34. Kh3 Rb2 35. Rb8+ Kg7 36. Nc6 Rxb8 37. Nxb8 Kf6 38. Nc6 Bc5 39. Na5 h5 40. g4 Kg5 41. gxh5 Kxh5 42. Kg2 Kh4 43. h3 f5 44. Nc4 g5 45. Nd2 g4 46. hxg4 fxg4 47. Ne4 Bd4 48. Nd6 Be5 49. Nc4 Bc7 50.a4 Kg5 51. Ne3 Bb8 52. Nd5 Bd6 53. Ne3 Kf4 54. Nc4 Bc5 ½ – ½.

Board 8. White : M. Ieronimo. Black : O. Robson. Queen Pawn.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. e3 cxd4 4. exd4 g6 5. Bd3 Bg7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. c4 d6 8. Nc3 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 Nc6 11. Be3 e5 12. d5 Nb4 13. Bb1 Nd7 14. Ne4 Qe2 15. Qe2 f5 16. Bg5 Nf6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Nxf6+ Rxf6 19. a3 Na6 20. b4 Raf8 21. f3 g5 22. Qe3 g4 23. hxg4 fxg4 24.Bf4 g3 25. Rfc1 Rf4 26. c5 Qh4 27. Kf1 Rxe4 28. Qg1 Qf4 29. Rc2 Rc4 30. Rac1 Rxc2 31. Rxc2 Qe4 32. Rd2 Qb1+ 0 – 1.

Board 9. White : S. Sriharan. Black : S. H. Reiss. Queen Pawn.
1. d4 Nc6 2. d5 Ne5 3. e4 e6 4. dxe6 fxe6 5. Nf3 Nxf3 6. Qxf3 Qf6 7. Be2 Bc5 8. 0-0 Qxf3 9. Bxf3 e5 10. Nc3 Nf6 11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 d6 13. Re1 0-0 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. Rxe3 Bf5 16. Be4 Rf7 17. Bxf5 Rxf5 18. Rae1 Raf8 19. f3 Rf4 20. Re4 ½ – ½.

Board 10. White : M. Butt. Black : N. Andrews. Pirc’s Defence.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. d5 Nb8 7. Bg5 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Nbd7 10. 0-0 h6 11. Bf4 Nh7 12. Bd2 Ne5 13. Qe2 c6 14. f4 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 0-0 16. Be3 Nf6 17. Qd2 Kh7 18. f5 Nd7 19. fxg6 fxg6 20. Rxf8 Qxf8 21. Rf1 Qe8 22. Bd4 Bxd4+ 23. Qxd4 Ne5 24. Qf2 Kg7 25. Ne2 c5 26. Nf4 Qf7 27. b3 Kh7 28. Ne6 Qxf2+ 29. Rxf2 Kg8 ½ – ½.

Board 11. White : J. Hewitt. Black : P. Brown. French Defence.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. c3 0-0 7. 0-0 c6 8. Qc2 Qc7 9. Re1 Nbd7 10. Bg5 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Nbd2 Bd6 13. Re2 Bf4 14. Bxf4 Qxf4 15. Rae1 Nc5 16. Re7 Nxd3 17. Qxd3 Bf5 18. Qb5 b6 19. Nf1 Be6 20. Nd4 Qd6 21. Nxe6 fxe6 22. R1xe6 Qf4 23. Qe2 h5 24. Rb7 Qg4 25. Qxg4 hxg4 26. Ree7 Nh5 27. Ng3 Rfe8 28. Nxh5 Rxe7 29. Rxe7 g6 30. Nf6+ Kf8 31. Rd7 Rc8 32. Rxd5 Rc6 33. Nxg4 Ke7 34. f3 Ke6 35. Rd1 Kf5 36. Kf2 Re6 1 – 0.

Board 12. White S. Donoghue. Black : M. J. Beavers. Queen Pawn.
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Bg5 Re8 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. c4 e6 9. Nc3 c5 10. cxd5 cxd4 11. Nxd4 e5 12. Ndb5 a6 13. Qa4 Nd7 14. d6 Nb6 15. Qa5 axb5 16. Qxb5 Bd7 17. Qb4 Bc6 18. Bxc6 bxc6 19. Ne4 Bg7 20. b3 Nd5 21. Qc5 Qb6 22. Qxb6 Nxb6 23. Rfd1 Ra5 24. a4 Rd8 25. Rac1 Rd5 26. Rxd5 cxd5 27. Rc6 Nxa4 28. Nd2 Nc5 29. Rxc5 Rxd6 30. b4 Bh6 31. e3 Bg5 32. h4 Bd8 33. Nf3 f6 34. Ne1 Kf7 35. Nd3 Bb6 36. Rc1 Bd8 37. b5 Bb6 38. Nb4 e4 39. Rc6 Rxc6 40. bxc6 Ke6 41. Kg2 Kd6 42. Kh3 Ba5 43. Nc2 Kxc6 44. Nd4+ Kd7 45. Ne2 Be1 46. Kg2 g5 47. hxg5 fxg5 48. Nd4 Kd6 49. g4 Ba5 50. Nf5+ Ke5 51. Nd4 Kd6 52. Ne2 Bc7 53. Nf4 Ke5 54. Nh5 Ke6 55. Ng7+ Ke7 ½ – ½.

Board 13. White : R. Hall. Black : P. Morgan. French Defence.
1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. d4 Bd6 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. f5 0-0 8. Bg5 Re8+ 9. Kf1 Nbd7 10. h3 c6 11. Bh4 Qc7 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. dxe5 Bxe5 15. Qg4+ Kh8 16. Nc3 Bd7 17. Rae1 Reg8 18. Qh5 Raf8 19. Qh6 Qd6 20. Ne2 c5 21. Rd1 Bc6 22. g4 d4 23. Rg1 Bh2 24. Ng3 Bxg1 25. Nh5 Be3 26. g5 Bxg5 27. Nxf6 Bxh6 0 – 1.

Board 14. White : I. Robson. Black : P. Masiak. Queen’s Gambit.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bf4 Nbd7 5. e3 b5 6. cxd5 b4 7. dxc6 bxc3 8. cxd7+ Bxd7 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. Bd3 Qxc3+ 11. Ke2 Qb2+ 12. Kf1 e6 13. Qc1 Ba3 14. Qxb2 Bxb2 15. Rb1 Ba3 16. Rb3 Be7 17. Rb8+ Rxb8 18. Bxb8 0-0 19. Bg3 Rc8 20. Ne2 Nd5 21. f3 Nxe3+ 22. Kf2 Ng4+ 23. fxg4 Ba4 24. Rb1 a5 25. Bb5 Bc2 26. Bd7 Rc4 27. Rb8+ Bf8 28. Bd6 f6 1 – 0.